News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
Ingrid Jarrett
KELOWNA – Ingrid Jarrett, CEO of the BC Hotel Association, has been named Business Woman of the Year.
Chris Anderson, is celebrating 20 years anniversary with the Kelowna Yacht Club.
Kieran Grey has been appointed operations manager of the Kelowna Dental Centre, located at 2033 Gordon Drive, #100 Kelowna.
Peak Cleaning, a newly established residential cleaning service in Kelowna and West Kelowna, is owned and operated by Romain Edel.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery and Unconventional Hospitality Group have announced their partnership, with UGH assuming the management of the restaurant and special events at Summerhill beginning on May 25 with an official launch party.
August Customs, Kelowna’s one-stop shop for custom car and boat services, located at 3509 Spectrum Cres, has officially opened.
DunnEnzies Pizza Co is seeking to expand its offerings at its downtown Ellis Street Restaurant by adding karaoke and poetry readings.
Big White Ski Resort Ltd. recognizes and celebrates the commitment of long-term employees who have devoted over 25 years of service, as part of the 60th anniversary celebration. The following individuals will be awarded the esteemed Big White Swiss Cowbell, which represents their noteworthy achievements and holds great value in the community: Michael Ballingall, Michael Rickman, GP Brenciaglia, Eric Bobert, Scott Dale, Jay Hayashi, Tara McCrae, Heather Moore, Graham Sullivan, Robert Drasdo, Peter Plimmer, Ron Sawatzky, and Jeff Davies.
ECNG Energy Group has partnered with the British Columbia Hotel Association to bring an exclusive Natural Gas program to its members. Additionally, a free virtual event webinar will be hosted on March 20th to roll our the program.
The Greater Westside Board of Trade will host Business After Hours at Kelly O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Restaurant on Thursday, March 21.
The zoning of 1232, 1240, and 1250 Glenmore Drive is being changed from large-lot and medium-lot housing to apartment housing rental only by the properties’ owners.
The 2024 Employees First Award was presented to GolfBC at the BC Tourism Industry Conference in Victoria by the Tourism Industry Association of BC.
The BC Interior Sportsman Show is making its return to Kelowna from April 5 to 7, at the MNP Place.
Knox Mountain Drive will be closed throughout the duration of first lookout phase one construction upgrades, which are anticipated to be completed in May.
Accelerate Okanagan aims to reach a significant funding milestone as it celebrates a major achievement this year with the upcoming sixth annual Okanagan Angel Summit, scheduled to take place from April 2 to May 23.
For the second year in a row, Wicked Wine Tours has been awarded gold certification by GreenStep Sustainable Tourism. Through its program, companies are assessed according to their effects on the economy, society and environment.
The Bliss Bakery in Kelowna, which has been located on Ellis Street for ten years, is shutting down.
Tickets for the Kelowna Chamber’s popular golf tournament, which will take place at the Harvest Golf Club on May 22 and presented by Parke Pacific Projects, are now available to the general public.
The $279 million city carryover budget request for 2024 was approved by the Kelowna City Council. This amount covers previously approved operating and capital expenditures for projects that are multi-year in nature or could not be finished in 2023.
KAMLOOPS
Pat Hennelly
Pat Hennelly, head coach of the men’s volleyball team at Thompson Rivers University, is the recipient of the U Sports Coach of the Year award.
Trillium Tower, constructed by Kelson Group, is the tallest structure in Kamloops and is anticipated to be occupied in July 2025.
A proposal to rezone a Rogers Way property to allow the construction of a new, six-story Hyatt Place hotel next to the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre is set to be heard in public.
Barb’s Used Book & Music Sale, a yearly fundraiser for the Kamloops Symphony, will take place at St. Andrew’s on the Square from April 6 to 20.
Kamloops-based Tournament Capital Strength and Conditioning has achieved impressive results in both provincial and national CrossFit competitions in BC and Canada.
The Royal Inland Hospital Foundation has received a generous $50,000 donation from the RBC Foundation. This contribution is part of the RBC Future Launch initiative and aims to provide support to RIH’s Parkview Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program.
The Thompson Regional Hospital District plans to use reserve funds and a 25 percent tax increase stretched over five years to pay for several expensive Royal Inland Hospital projects, such as the construction of a new cancer centre in Kamloops.
PENTICTON/OLIVER/OSOYOOS
The Noske family has acquired Legend Distilling, a Naramata-based distillery started in 2013 by local business people Doug and Dawn Lennie. The distillery is now relocating to Abbotsford.
A grant of $840,000 has been awarded to Penticton’s lake-to-lake bike lane by the Federal Active Transportation Fund.
A fun run for all ages organized by Wildstone’s Colours 4 Kids to benefit OSNS Child Development Centre is scheduled for June 9 at LocoLanding Adventure Park, 75 Riverside Dr., Penticton.
The Okanagan Hockey Community Foundation will host its 2024 Tee it Up for Education Charity Golf Tournament at the Penticton Golf & Country Club on June 18. The event aims to generate funds that will support initiatives that provide educational opportunities for local families.
Penticton’s Dollar Dollar Superstore announced its impending closure in the middle of April, following a 12-year tenure in the industry.
The Penticton Regional Hospital announced the acquisition of a cutting-edge CT scanner, made possible by donations to the SOS Medical Foundation and the Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District.
The Connected Community Capital Program has shortlisted six local community-building initiatives for grant funding by the Penticton City council. These initiatives include the following: Activate Penticton outdoor rink; replacement of the floor and installation of security cameras at the historic Leir House; replacement of the roof at the Penticton Lawn Bowling Club; expansion of pickleball courts at Robinson Park; restoration efforts at the Penticton Safety Village; and infrastructure enhancements at South Okanagan Minor.
SALMON ARM
The Shuswap Healing Centre in Sicamous held its groundbreaking on Monday, according to Scott Builders Inc. Through this collaboration, the District of Sicamous and the Splatsin First Nation will combine traditional and modern medical procedures at a new healing facility.
The Okanagan Derby, hosted by Mike Bridge and family, will be held on April 20, to raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital. The Shuswap Derby is scheduled on May 11.
A proposal to allocate an additional $40,000 from the Area C Community Works Funds toward Eagle Bay Fire Hall renovations is scheduled to be discussed at the board meeting of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District this week.
Salmon Arm Shopping Centres Ltd. & Calloway REIT (Salmon Arm) is set to construct a new McDonald‘s restaurant, complete with a drive-thru, at 2991 Ninth Ave. SW.
VERNON
The City of Vernon is receiving a $45,000 grant from UBCM to enhance its 911 service.
The Vernon Farmers’ Market is scheduled to resume operations at its customary site in the parking lot of Kal Tire Place on April 18, 2024, for the 2024 season.
The Kal Tire Place-South ice chiller will once again be operational on March 20, following the completion of maintenance by personnel from the City of Vernon.
The skate park owned by Greater Recreation Services is set to open on April 8 at the Vernon Curling Club, with restricted attractions. Full opening day is set for June 8, at which point all decks, ramps, and rails will be accessible.
The Powerhouse Speakeasy, a collaboration between the Powerhouse Theatre and Local Losers Underground, is scheduled to open at 2901 35 Avenue on March 21. Christopher Atkins and Tractor Beam will perform at the inaugural event.
There are now organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free alternatives available for pickup at MyChef by John McInnis, a new meal prep service based in Vernon.
On April 6, the Kootenay Wedding Co. will host the event at Paddlewheel Hall, which is located next to Paddlewheel Park.
SUMMERLAND
Wellness Travel BC has renewed its partnership with Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa.
The Summerland District Market is set to kick off its season on April 30th and will run until September 24th, every Tuesday in Memorial Park, Summerland.
The District of Summerland received two awards: a special one for providing the most National Lifeguard training and recertifications of any institution in British Columbia and Yukon (with a population under 20,000) in 2023, and the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting for the fiscal year 2022.
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